Comments on: Why Forward and Mask a Domain Name http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:27:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: DNUnderground.com http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1971 DNUnderground.com Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:41:15 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1971 Wow Chef - I never even thought to do that for those long affiliate links. I use it for a couple of my names, for example, with and without the "s", but never thought of using forwarding for this. Great idea, and I will definitely use it in the future. Wow Chef – I never even thought to do that for those long affiliate links. I use it for a couple of my names, for example, with and without the “s”, but never thought of using forwarding for this. Great idea, and I will definitely use it in the future.

]]> By: stephen douglas http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1892 stephen douglas Sun, 25 Jan 2009 01:25:38 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1892 One of the better posts and comments I've seen in a long time. Lots of great info here. Also, look into content for your affiliate redirects and storefronts by using WhyPark.com Great job on the article Pat. One of the better posts and comments I’ve seen in a long time. Lots of great info here. Also, look into content for your affiliate redirects and storefronts by using WhyPark.com

Great job on the article Pat.

]]> By: iridium http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1886 iridium Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:13:25 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1886 I think you are better off doing a "white label" type of affiliation under your domain name. The way you set it up as a framed redirect, your friend will probably signup, but his relationship will be through hostgator and if he refers others I doubt that he will mention your domain. The frame can also scare some people off as they notice the URL is not the same as the actual site they are signing up on... I think you are better off doing a “white label” type of affiliation under your domain name.

The way you set it up as a framed redirect, your friend will probably signup, but his relationship will be through hostgator and if he refers others I doubt that he will mention your domain.
The frame can also scare some people off as they notice the URL is not the same as the actual site they are signing up on…

]]> By: Jamie http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1885 Jamie Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:51:36 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1885 Just to be clear, the majority of affiliates DO NOT allow this. Also, in most TOS for affiliates it's not 100% clear if you can or can not do it. If you have question if you can or can not do it, it's likely you can not. Affiliates like CJ.com, Amazon.com do not allow "domain forwarding". The masking part doesn't really matter, since in order to mask, you have to do the forward. Just to be clear, the majority of affiliates DO NOT allow this. Also, in most TOS for affiliates it’s not 100% clear if you can or can not do it. If you have question if you can or can not do it, it’s likely you can not.

Affiliates like CJ.com, Amazon.com do not allow “domain forwarding”. The masking part doesn’t really matter, since in order to mask, you have to do the forward.

]]> By: Too Many Secrets http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1882 Too Many Secrets Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:33:50 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1882 @Chef I agree with @Barry on this. It's a shady technique that the public and SE's frown upon. Likely, your domain will get banned from google for dupe content too. I see you have a couple pages showing in google with your old content for the site right now, but once google see's the new content, they will likely de-list you. Some better techniques include: 1. Make a /hosting page on your blog, put some useful content on it, and list your hosting affiliates on it. Then tell your friends/clients to go there for your hosting resources - they get useful content and if they like it, they click your links. When you link to your hosting resources on your /hosting page, use a URL structure like /go/hosting and use a script that 302 redirects the visitor to your hosting affiliate. For the /go you could use anything you want of course, /deals /specials etc, you get the idea. 2. If you don't want to make a /hosting resources page, then stick a 302 redirect script in your /hosting directory that send the visitor straight to your hosting affiliate with your affiliate code. With these methods, your visitors see the URL as /hosting and don't see any affilate codes on the URL so they're not turned off to use it. - Richard PS. You should use the same /go and script technique for your 125x125 banners too! @Chef

I agree with @Barry on this. It’s a shady technique that the public and SE’s frown upon.

Likely, your domain will get banned from google for dupe content too. I see you have a couple pages showing in google with your old content for the site right now, but once google see’s the new content, they will likely de-list you.

Some better techniques include:

1. Make a /hosting page on your blog, put some useful content on it, and list your hosting affiliates on it. Then tell your friends/clients to go there for your hosting resources – they get useful content and if they like it, they click your links. When you link to your hosting resources on your /hosting page, use a URL structure like /go/hosting and use a script that 302 redirects the visitor to your hosting affiliate. For the /go you could use anything you want of course, /deals /specials etc, you get the idea.

2. If you don’t want to make a /hosting resources page, then stick a 302 redirect script in your /hosting directory that send the visitor straight to your hosting affiliate with your affiliate code.

With these methods, your visitors see the URL as /hosting and don’t see any affilate codes on the URL so they’re not turned off to use it.

- Richard

PS. You should use the same /go and script technique for your 125×125 banners too!

]]> By: Chef Patrick http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1877 Chef Patrick Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:57:45 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1877 I'm pretty confident that Google dislikes this practice and will penalize your domain name if they find out. This is not a method I would use for a high end name. Having said that, Google does not pay my bills. I personally don't care if they like that I do it. The domain I'm using in most cases means nothing to me and I'm not in PR. I'll take hundreds if not thousands of dollars from affiliate commissions over page rank any day. I’m pretty confident that Google dislikes this practice and will penalize your domain name if they find out. This is not a method I would use for a high end name.

Having said that, Google does not pay my bills. I personally don’t care if they like that I do it. The domain I’m using in most cases means nothing to me and I’m not in PR. I’ll take hundreds if not thousands of dollars from affiliate commissions over page rank any day.

]]> By: David Wieland http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1876 David Wieland Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:51:36 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1876 I've never been 100% clear on this, but based on what I've seen with my own domains, when I've masked a domain, it doesn't seem to do as well with pagerank. I don't get sandboxed, but it does seem as if Google is penalizing me for what it might deem to be duplicate content. I believe google's system is smart enough to know that my domain is being masked, but then again, it may see two domains (mine and the domain I'm masking) and think "hmm, these sites are exactly the same...i'm going to ding both of them" Does anyone have conclusive evidence to support or refute? I’ve never been 100% clear on this, but based on what I’ve seen with my own domains, when I’ve masked a domain, it doesn’t seem to do as well with pagerank. I don’t get sandboxed, but it does seem as if Google is penalizing me for what it might deem to be duplicate content. I believe google’s system is smart enough to know that my domain is being masked, but then again, it may see two domains (mine and the domain I’m masking) and think “hmm, these sites are exactly the same…i’m going to ding both of them”

Does anyone have conclusive evidence to support or refute?

]]> By: Chef Patrick http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1875 Chef Patrick Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:51:14 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1875 Agreed, do your homework before using. Last thing you want is to break any rules and not get paid for your hard work. Agreed, do your homework before using. Last thing you want is to break any rules and not get paid for your hard work.

]]> By: Chef Patrick http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1874 Chef Patrick Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:48:20 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1874 Reseller account is good but I'd rather make my $50-$125 per account setup and walk away. Plus this is just an example, it's not really meant to be about hostgator. Reseller account is good but I’d rather make my $50-$125 per account setup and walk away. Plus this is just an example, it’s not really meant to be about hostgator.

]]> By: David Wieland http://www.chefpatrick.com/why-forward-and-mask-a-domain-name/#comment-1873 David Wieland Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:45:30 +0000 http://www.chefpatrick.com/?p=1533#comment-1873 Kevin, I haven't wateched the video, but presumably his redirect is pointing to something like hostgator.com/affiliateid=chefpatrick, in which case he would receive commission for that sale. People do it all the time. Kevin,

I haven’t wateched the video, but presumably his redirect is pointing to something like hostgator.com/affiliateid=chefpatrick, in which case he would receive commission for that sale. People do it all the time.

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